Page 68 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 8(2) (2020)
P. 68
e meaning, and multiliteracies, as a possiblestudia universitatis hereditati, letnik 8 (2020), številka 2 68if we mainly concentrate on research in the field
pedagogy, gives us tools for doing so” (Rowsell of (foreign) language education, the most rele-
and Walsh 2011). In an era in which tradition-hereditati vant aspect lies in understanding how different
al printed texts can no longer be considered as representational and communicational resourc-
the primary carriers of meaning (Kress 2009), it es allow for meaning to be constructed, and how
is necessary to re-examine previous assumptions such a multimodal approach can affect the learn-
about learners, text types and discourses, as well ers’ motivation and different learning styles. Cas-
as language teaching and learning modalities. tro and Peck (2005) claimed that learning styles
(visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, group and
Kress and van Leeuwen distinguish be- individual) have the power to either help or hin-
tween ‘mode’ and ‘medium’: while the latter is der language classroom achievements, and vari-
the material selected to carry the message and ous studies (Abdulwahed & Nagy 2009; Gaur,
make it available to others (like a printed book, Kohli & Khanna 2009; Pfeifer & Borozan 2011)
a video, and so forth), a mode, in Kress’ words, is report that learning environments oriented to-
“a socially shaped and culturally given resource wards learning style awareness and matching are
for making meaning” (Kress 2009). Not every usually more valid and successful than others.
multimodality related study focuses as strongly Nevertheless, most lessons and teaching meth-
on the social aspects of modes, but they are still ods are still usually geared towards auditory and
widely considered as sets of resources for the in- visual learners. Since the six modes mentioned
teraction with the outside world and the con- above manage to bring into play several sensory
struction of meaning, through sensory systems inputs related to different learning styles, a mul-
such as sight, hearing and touch and different timodal approach is better suited to a heteroge-
media, like books, games or digital devices. Mul- neous class, allowing students to use their domi-
timodality, therefore, refers to the interaction nant modalities while reinforcing the others.
of three or more sensory systems in which dif-
ferent modes combine to work towards a single Literacy is digital
communicative intent. Visual meanings, for ex- In such circumstances, technology proves to be
ample, include images, page layouts and colours; an extremely valuable tool. The recent impact
audio modes focus on sounds, music, rhythm of digital technologies on text production has
or tone; spatial modes refer mainly to the learn- helped to highlight the multimodal character
ing environment, while gestural designs con- of texts and the fact that focusing on language
cern gestures and behaviours, body language alone cannot possibly be enough to explain
and proximity; tactile meanings require inter- meaning-making. Technology, Brown states, is a
acting with objects and props, and, finally, lin- tool which provides language learners with mul-
guistic modes involve lexicon and grammatical tiple opportunities to have “genuine, meaningful
structures, in both oral and written dimensions. communication” in the target language (Brown
What multimodality does, then, is combine dif- 2007), and this is where the concept of digital
ferent elements from different meaning-making literacy fits. It was first introduced by Gilster
modes and present them through different me- (1997), who defined it as the “ability to under-
dia (Bearne & Wolstencroft 2007). stand and use information in multiple formats
from a wide range of sources when it is presented
Multimodality researchers have been ex- via computers” (Gilster 1997, 1), but he failed to
ploring different perspectives related to multi- provide a list of skills and competences related to
modal literacy teaching and learning, from the it, as it was not associated with formal education,
influence of social aspects, to convergence, which but rather seen as a useful life skill. The term had
analyses whether and to what extent different to find its place among several already existing
modalities can be considered interconnected
and interdependent (Walsh 2008). In any case,
pedagogy, gives us tools for doing so” (Rowsell of (foreign) language education, the most rele-
and Walsh 2011). In an era in which tradition-hereditati vant aspect lies in understanding how different
al printed texts can no longer be considered as representational and communicational resourc-
the primary carriers of meaning (Kress 2009), it es allow for meaning to be constructed, and how
is necessary to re-examine previous assumptions such a multimodal approach can affect the learn-
about learners, text types and discourses, as well ers’ motivation and different learning styles. Cas-
as language teaching and learning modalities. tro and Peck (2005) claimed that learning styles
(visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, group and
Kress and van Leeuwen distinguish be- individual) have the power to either help or hin-
tween ‘mode’ and ‘medium’: while the latter is der language classroom achievements, and vari-
the material selected to carry the message and ous studies (Abdulwahed & Nagy 2009; Gaur,
make it available to others (like a printed book, Kohli & Khanna 2009; Pfeifer & Borozan 2011)
a video, and so forth), a mode, in Kress’ words, is report that learning environments oriented to-
“a socially shaped and culturally given resource wards learning style awareness and matching are
for making meaning” (Kress 2009). Not every usually more valid and successful than others.
multimodality related study focuses as strongly Nevertheless, most lessons and teaching meth-
on the social aspects of modes, but they are still ods are still usually geared towards auditory and
widely considered as sets of resources for the in- visual learners. Since the six modes mentioned
teraction with the outside world and the con- above manage to bring into play several sensory
struction of meaning, through sensory systems inputs related to different learning styles, a mul-
such as sight, hearing and touch and different timodal approach is better suited to a heteroge-
media, like books, games or digital devices. Mul- neous class, allowing students to use their domi-
timodality, therefore, refers to the interaction nant modalities while reinforcing the others.
of three or more sensory systems in which dif-
ferent modes combine to work towards a single Literacy is digital
communicative intent. Visual meanings, for ex- In such circumstances, technology proves to be
ample, include images, page layouts and colours; an extremely valuable tool. The recent impact
audio modes focus on sounds, music, rhythm of digital technologies on text production has
or tone; spatial modes refer mainly to the learn- helped to highlight the multimodal character
ing environment, while gestural designs con- of texts and the fact that focusing on language
cern gestures and behaviours, body language alone cannot possibly be enough to explain
and proximity; tactile meanings require inter- meaning-making. Technology, Brown states, is a
acting with objects and props, and, finally, lin- tool which provides language learners with mul-
guistic modes involve lexicon and grammatical tiple opportunities to have “genuine, meaningful
structures, in both oral and written dimensions. communication” in the target language (Brown
What multimodality does, then, is combine dif- 2007), and this is where the concept of digital
ferent elements from different meaning-making literacy fits. It was first introduced by Gilster
modes and present them through different me- (1997), who defined it as the “ability to under-
dia (Bearne & Wolstencroft 2007). stand and use information in multiple formats
from a wide range of sources when it is presented
Multimodality researchers have been ex- via computers” (Gilster 1997, 1), but he failed to
ploring different perspectives related to multi- provide a list of skills and competences related to
modal literacy teaching and learning, from the it, as it was not associated with formal education,
influence of social aspects, to convergence, which but rather seen as a useful life skill. The term had
analyses whether and to what extent different to find its place among several already existing
modalities can be considered interconnected
and interdependent (Walsh 2008). In any case,
